Ave Maria, FL -- The Ave Maria University baseball team split a doubleheader with Lawrence Technological University on Monday afternoon, taking the opener 13-3 before falling in the nightcap, 14-7. The Gyrenes are now 3-3 during Spring Break.
 
The first contest saw the Gyrenes score the first eleven runs of the game, and roll to a 13-3 victory.
 
Ave Maria's scoring started in the first inning with a three spot.
Tully Allen started Ave Maria's offense with a walk, and moved to third base on a stolen base and a groundout. Allen scored the opening run on a groundout by Rico Soto. The offense continued with two outs with a Ryan Keegan single, and Andy Hernandez followed with a two-run homer, giving AMU a 3-0 lead after one inning.
 
A five run second inning put the game away early for the Gyrenes. Ave Maria had four hits and a walk in the frame, scoring their first run on a wild pitch that allowed Brody Howe to score. The game was broken wide open with two outs, when Keegan blasted a grand slam over the left field fence. Keegan's longball put the Gyrenes ahead 8-0 after two innings.
 
After a scoreless third, Ave Maria added three more in the fourth.
Bases loaded walks to Hernandez and Howe plated two runs, and an RBI single by Justin Hartshorne made it 11-0.
 
Lawrence Tech scored twice in the top of the sixth to get on the board. Sean Fannon hit an RBI double, and Austin King drove in a run on a groundout. LTU also added a run on a sacrifice bunt in the top of the seventh.
 
Ave Maria closed the scoring on their end with two in the bottom of the sixth. Ryan Cook drove in Howe with a sacrifice fly, and Soto plated Hartshorne with a double.
 
Five shutout innings from Deaven Phillips led AMU on the mound, and Phillips earned the win for his efforts.
 
In the second game, Lawrence Tech scored nine runs in a two-inning span to take control of the game, topping the Gyrenes 14-7.
 
A home run started the scoring for the visiting Blue Devils, as Austin King hit a two-run homer with two outs, after Sean Fannon had hit a two-out single.
 
The Gyrenes responded with a run in the bottom of the first. Ryan Cook tripled with one out, and Rico Sot brought in the freshman with an RBI single, cutting the Lawrence Tech lead in half.
 
Lawrence Tech retook the lead with three runs in the top of the third.
King, Joe Russo, and Sam Cawker drove in the runs, each on an RBI single. A runner was left in scoring position, as the Blue Devils held a 5-1 advantage.
 
Ave Maria's biggest inning came in the bottom of the third, when the Gyrenes scored six runs on two big hits. Ryan Keegan drilled a three-run homer, and Tully Allen lined a bases clearing double to turn a four-run deficit into a 7-5 lead.
 
However, Lawrence Tech took the lead for good in the top of the fourth, scoring six runs. Sean Fannon hit a two-run triple, King hit his second homer of the game for another two runs, and Tyler Cleasby and Cawker each added an RBI. Tech also scored the last three runs of the game on a Tyler Childs two-run homer in the sixth and a Fannon RBI single in the seventh.
 
Fannon was the winning pitcher in the nightcap for Lawrence Tech, while Jesse Crosno took the loss for the Gyrenes.
 
After a day off on Tuesday, the Gyrenes continue their Spring Break homestand on Wednesday with a single nine-inning game against College of St. Joseph from Vermont. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Bowie's Ballpark.